Stages
by EmberFalcon
Summary: The first stage had been denial. "No way," he would think to himself. "There's no way that she's gone. Not for good."


The first stage had been denial.

'No way,' he would think to himself. 'There's no way she's gone. Not for good.' Despite the fact that he had felt her vanish from his arms and collapse into her mother's embrace as he faded back into his era, he refused to believe that he would never see her again.

In the days that followed the incident in the meidou, Inuyasha would try time and time again to go through the well, if only to put his heart at peace. Okay, so what if the well didn't work that particular time? He thought to himself, he would just simply have to try again. Though, no matter how much he tried to hold onto that thought, it slipped through his claws after several failed attempts to see Kagome again.

The second stage had been anger.

He demanded answers to the questions left sealed within the well. Why wasn't it working? Why couldn't he see her? Why was she stolen from him? Why did the gods toy with him so? His undirected rage built inside the chambers of his heart until they finally exploded, roaring his frustration to the heavens as he mercilessly clawed at the trees in the forest for weeks until he was physically and emotionally spent and collapsed against the well.

The third stage had been bargaining.

He pleaded with the gods, swore he would do anything just to be with her again. He offered his father's heirloom, his soul, his life, anything he had ever once owned or anything within his power had been laid before a nonexistent altar as a sort of twisted reward for any god that brought Kagome back into his arms. Naturally, his prayers went unanswered, too selfish and idiotic for such high deities to waste their time on.

The last stage had been depression.

Days turned to months turned to years and still he was not granted access through the well that had once connected them. Seasons passed him in a blur, and before he knew it, he was an uncle; Miroku and Sango had their first child that same year that Kagome had gone.

But it still wasn't fair; his friends had their happy ending, so what happened to him? They were blessed with a family and he was torn from the woman he loved? He would watch Miroku and Sango play with their baby, their son, and he couldn't help but feel intense jealousy of them. That envy increased two-fold when they discovered Sango was pregnant again with hers and Miroku's second child. Two years had gone by, and Kagome had yet to be returned to him. Shippo hadn't even been around much; he would come and go from the village, leaving for weeks on end to train to become a worthy demon within the hierarchy, to at least match up to Inuyasha's current status, which had flown through the ranks following Naraku's defeat. Though, none of that really mattered to him, since the void in his heart had yet to be filled, as it had been when Kagome was by his side.

He had not missed those sympathetic looks his friends and the villagers had given him whenever he went about his daily business, but he couldn't help but grow frustrated with those sad glances. Did they expect him to move on? Did they honestly think that she wasn't that important to him, that he would simply forget about the one woman who changed him into the man he is now and leave her memory behind, just like that? No! He refused…his heart refused. He had finally chosen the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with, and now she suddenly had been torn away from him?

Another few months passed, and Sango had her second child. Their first child simply adored Inuyasha and would often want to play with the hanyou, all the while giggling merrily. Inuyasha would simply smile and give a chuckle once in a while for the kid's sake, but he knew his friends could see through it, could tell that happiness wasn't genuine. Sango announced mere weeks later that she was once again pregnant with a third child, which, naturally, shocked her husband, her brother, and her friends. Kohaku, now an uncle of two, with another niece or nephew on the way, had matured into a charming young man, and a fine demon slayer, just like his older sister. She assured him several times that their father was watching them proudly from the heavens.

Now three years have passed since Inuyasha last saw Kagome. He sits in the field beside Sango and Miroku's hut, listening to the demon slayer soothe her three children inside as he idly realized the village children were taunting him. He vaguely listened to their weak insults, mocking him for whatever reason; he hadn't really been listening. After three years of not seeing Kagome, his senses had numbed, as did his body. Unfortunately, his heart still bled as much as it did that fateful day that she was snatched from him.

His was jerked out of his thoughts when a familiar, wonderful scent enveloped his entire being, that soothing aura that lulled even his worse fears embracing his heart. His eyes widened in alarm as he dashed off toward the well. Kagome's scent! His nostrils gladly welcomed the soft, sweet scent he missed so much, his heart racing with anticipation and long forgotten hope as he reached into the well…

"Inuyasha? I'm so sorry…were you waiting for me…?" Her voice…he had missed it so much…

He pulled her up out of the well, his breath hitching in his throat as he took in the sight of her, something he hadn't had the privilege of doing in three years.

The first stage had been denial.

There was no way she was here, not now, not after so long…it was just his heart playing with his mind…or was it his mind playing with his heart…?

The second stage had been doubt.

Was this really her? How had she come back? Why couldn't she come sooner?

The third stage was realization.

Kagome was really here! He was really griping her hand in his again! She was standing right here before him, a grown and beautiful woman!

The last stage had been complete and utter happiness.

With a gasp of breath, he pulled her roughly to him, crushed her against him, never intending to let her leave again. Not that she seemed to mind, considering she was holding him just as tight.

"Idiot," he breathed into her hair. He felt her tense when she felt his shoulders quiver from biting back tears. He himself froze when she let hers freely flow from her stormy gray eyes, and bleed into his haori. But none of that mattered. She was here, in his arms once again, and that was all that mattered. Though, he had one last question…"What took you so long?"


End file.
